Tagged with 'History of pearls'

One of the most romantic gifts, pearls have a classic and beautiful quality that women for generations have loved to wear.

 

With Valentine's Day just a few weeks away, we take an inspiring look at three iconic women that famously received and wore gifts of pearl jewellery in the Golden Age of 1950s America - Grace Kelly, Jacqueline Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe.

GRACE KELLY

 

 

For her engagement to Prince Rainer Grimaldi III of Monaco in 1955, the beautiful Grace Kelly received a engagement set of pearl jewellery created by Van Cleef & Arpels. The future Princess was often photographed wearing pearls and her engagement gift was a three strand white Freshwater pearl necklace matched with a pearl bracelet, pearl earrings and a pearl ring.

 

The necklace was made of graduated white round pearls and finished with a white gold or platinum clasp and spacers set with diamonds.

 

The three strand bracelet elegantly complemented the necklace. Its clasp, together with two spacers, took the shape of a flower with four symmetrical petals adorned with diamonds.

 

Keeping with the floral design, the earrings also took the form of diamond petals with a pretty round pearl at their centre and the ring had an oval pearl nestled into a diamond shaped leaf.

JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS

 

 

Jackie Kennedy captivated the world with her beauty and grace. Her wedding to the charismatic and aspiring Senator John F. Kennedy in 1953 was one of the social highlights of the year.

 

For the occasion, Jackie Kennedy wore a single strand of pearls from a family collection and a gift of a unique diamond and pearl bracelet from her future husband. The white pearl necklace (pictured above) was a choker length that complemented the design of her wedding dress, which had an off-the-shoulder neckline, fitted waistline and bouffant skirt.

 

The simplicity of the pearl jewellery and the design of her gown matched the natural beauty of Jackie Kennedy to create this romantic moment.

MARILYN MONROE

 

 

During her honeymoon in Japan in 1954, Marilyn Monroe was given a classic choker necklace by her new husband, Joe DiMaggio. The necklace was a classic pearl choker from the famous Japanese Mikimoto brand, measuring 16 inches with 44 round Akoya pearls.

 

Although Marilyn was famed for singing ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ in the 1953 movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, she was fond of her pearls. It was said that this honeymoon necklace (pictured) was one of the few pieces of jewellery that she truly loved and treasured.

Earlier this year, French researchers discovered an ancient natural pearl at a coastal archaeological site in the Umm al-Quwain, one of the emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Confirming the finding with carbon-dating, the team from the Laboratoire Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité has shown that pearl fishing and diving was taking place in the Persian Gulf as early as 5,500 BCE, far earlier than previously thought.

Before this important discovery in June 2012, it was thought that the oldest pearl in the world was the Jomon pearl, a Japanese archaeological find dating back more than 5,000 years old.

The natural pearl oyster beds of the Persian Gulf were a significant part of economic and cultural life for centuries, with Phoenician, Persian and Arab dhows and divers searching the sea waters of the Gulf for pearls. Bahrain was the centre of pearl fishing, and even today the emblem of the state includes two boats and a pearl.

The main pearl-producing oyster in the Gulf is Pinctada radiata, a small mollusc that can produce a white creamy colour pearl of around 4-6mm in size. Pearl divers would dive all day to depths of around 20 metres in search of these coveted gems.

The economic importance of pearls to the region is particularly apparent as pearls were its main export until as recently as the 1930s, when the oil industry and exploration in the Gulf states expanded and gave pearling fleets an alternative livelihood. It was also around this time that competition from the cultured Akoya pearl industry in Japan was increasing.

The CNRS team's discovery is surprising for extending the timeline of the region's association with pearls and for showing how pearls played a special role in society. The Umm al-Quwain pearl was found in a Neolithic grave site and might have been placed on the deceased's face or upper lip as part of a funeral ceremony.

Several Gulf countries such as Kuwait and Bahrain are interested in reviving their traditional pearl industry, but for now the Umm al-Quwain discovery is a reminder of a past age.

One of the largest and most vibrant capital cities in the world, London is filled with brilliant jewellery ideas and destinations for culture lovers and shoppers alike. To help you navigate some of the treasures dotted around the city, here is a short jewellery guide to the city with five favourite places to visit.

FOR THE HISTORY LOVER

The Tower of London and Buckingham Palace are two of the most popular royal palaces for visitors to the city. In time for the Jubilee and the Olympics, a recent new exhibit at The Tower of London explores the role of the Crown Jewels and the story of the Tower in protecting these treasures.

The Imperial State Crown is an undisputed highlight of the extraordinary jewels on display and is worn by the Queen at the annual State Opening of Parliament. Set with sapphires, rubies and pearls, the crown also features one of the most famous diamonds in the world. If you are visiting Buckingham Palace in 2012, do not miss the story of the Cullinan Diamond in the new exhibition there.

FOR THE BUDDING GEMOLOGIST

The Vault at the Natural History Museum is a treasure trove for anyone interested in gems and gemmology. Discover its gallery of celestial meteorites, the 1,383.93 carat Devonshire Emerald, pure gold crystals and a diamond the size of an egg.

FOR THE ROMANTIC

The Linnean Society of London is the world’s oldest active biological society and, situated away from the bustle of Piccadilly, quietly hides a secret for pearl lovers. Founded in 1788, the Society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who produced the world's first spherical cultured pearl.

Linnaeus grew his spherical pearls in freshwater mussels by drilling a small hole in the shell and inserted a tiny granule of limestone between the mantle and the shell of the mussel. The mussels were returned to their river and over six years covered the implanted material with nacre to make a cultured pearl. A set of these experimental ‘Linnaean pearls’ is held by the Society amongst the Linnean Shell collection.

FOR THE SHOPPER

If you are interested in browsing the best of jewellery design, London has so much to offer.

Historically Hatton Garden has been the main district of the jewellery trade in London. The area is now undergoing a resurgence as a home to independent designers and the new Goldsmith's Centre, a purpose built facility for promoting the best in creativity and craftsmanship.

Setting the fashion trend, Liberty’s may be the ultimate destination, offering contemporary jewellery from designers in a iconically British building fashioned from the timbers of two Royal Navy warships.

For luxury brands such as Asprey, Boodles, Bvlgari, Cartier, Mikimoto, Tiffany and others, the streets of Mayfair, and in particular Bond Street, Mount Street, South Molton Street and the Burlington Arcade, are the place to be seen.

Black onyx is the most popular form of onyx today, with a dark silky lustre that contrasts beautifully with the creamy whiteness of classic pearls.

Onyx is a variety of the chalcedony gemstone, which is a species of microcrystalline quartz that also includes different coloured Agates and Jasper.  Found in bands that run parallel to each other, and mined mostly in the USA, Brazil, Madagascar, Uruguay and India, the colour of the chalcedony bands can range widely from reds, greens and blues to shades of white and grey. The red brown variety of onyx is known as sardonyx.

The onyx stone is slightly translucid, which perhaps inspired the Ancient Greeks to give it its name. Legend tells that Cupid cut the fingernails of Venus whilst she was sleeping and the discarded clippings were turned into stone by the gods. It is a relatively hard and durable stone, has a silky lustre and has been used and carved for centuries for setting in jewellery.

Black onyx itself is a deep rich black but, from ancient times and still today, this is mostly achieved through enhancement with heat and other colour treatments to achieve its stunning uniform dark colour.

Onyx jewellery can be very affordable and desirable, with an ability to match most colours or to highlight a sparkling white diamond and other brightly coloured gemstones such as a pink ruby. Black onyx can also work well with both yellow and white gold and is a favoured choice for elegant evening wear.

We love the contrast of how a lustrous white pearl can be flattered by the deep darkness of black onyx. The ‘black and white’ style created by the effect of combining onyx, pearls and diamonds has been widely used for jewellery design since the Art Deco 1920s and 1930s. Cartier, in particular, has worked with onyx since the 1910s and continues to choose this gem for its outstanding designs.

Onyx is a traditional gemstone for celebrating a 7th wedding anniversary.

The use of seed pearls in fine jewellery throughout the latter part of the 19th century was immensely popular. Elaborately decorated brooches, tiaras, pins and earrings were very representative of Victorian fashion at the time. In this article, we look at what are seed pearls?

A Fashionable Pearl

Seed pearls have long been admired by jewellers for their elegance and traditional style.

The example above of an exquisite Fabergé Egg, made for Nicholas II of Russia in 1901, stands just 12cm tall and is adorned with seed pearls. The famous French jeweller to the Tsars was known for crafting his jewelled masterpieces with precious metals, enamel, gems and delicate pearls.

Prestigious jewellers such as Tiffany, Cartier and Boucheron also studded their designs with these tiny gems to match the sensual decadence of La Belle Époque fashion.

How are these small pearls made?

The Formation of Seed Pearls

A seed pearl is a small natural pearl, formed in either a saltwater oyster or freshwater mussel, that is usually less than 2mm in diameter.

Image: Cultured seed pearls

These pearls would have been found when divers searched for natural pearls in the Persian Gulf and Asia, or closer to home in streams and rivers of the USA, Europe and the British Isles.

Today the term "seed pearl" is more widely used to describe a small pearl that has been created as a result of a pearl farmer trying to stimulate the formation of a cultured pearl in a mollusc.

Image 1: Funeral Ring, Landscape and Temples, 18th Century
Image 2: Armband, Jacob Engelberth Torsk, Stockholm, 19th Century

These cultured seed pearls are formed with the accidental help of a loose piece of tissue in the mollusc, perhaps when the implanted bead has been separated from the pearl sac or has been expelled by the oyster.

Traditionally, the first cultured seed pearls would have been formed in Akoya oysters or Lake Biwa freshwater mussels in Japan.

Learn about the different Types of Pearls in our Buying Guide here.

Seed Pearls in Jewellery

Preparing such a tiny seed pearl for use in jewellery requires precision and a careful eye, particularly if the pearl is to be individually drilled and strung in a necklace or tassel earrings.

The famous Baroda Pearl Carpet, sold at auction by Sotheby's in 2009 for $5.5m, was covered with around 1.4 million seed pearls, all drilled by hand and sewn decoratively onto the fabric.

Image 1: Beau Seed Pearl and Diamond Ring with Yellow Gold
Image 2: Beau Seed Pearl and Enamel Pendant with Yellow Gold

Beau, our collection of pearl jewellery and pearl rings, inspired by the Georgian fashion for using seed pearls in jewellery, was designed by Alice Cicolini in 2013. The collection juxtaposes the delicate seed pearl with enamel and white diamonds, and uses the bow as its central motif.

We hope you will agree that Small is most certainly Beautiful!

July 14th 2012 is the 150th anniversary of Gustav Klimt's birth.

The Austrian painter is best known for his sensual paintings and sketches of the female form, often adorned with gold leaf and inspired by the inlays and detail of jewellery. His three beautiful friezes for the Palais Stoclet, the private mansion of a Belgian industrialist, incorporated enamel, coral, semi-precious stones and even pearls. In recent years, works by Klimt have become highly sought after, and copied, with his portrait titled Adele Bloch-Bauer I setting a new record at auction in 2006 for a reported $135m.

The image above has a fascinating history. One of Klimt's keenest supporters in Vienna was a young lady called Friederike Maria Beer. She was offered a necklace of natural pearls as a gift from her suitor Hans Böhler, but declined asking him to commission a portrait by Klimt instead. Klimt initially refused, but eventually agreed to Beer's commission. Beer came to the portrait sittings over several months in a red silk coat designed by the Wiener Werkstätte (Viennese Workshops), a co-operative design society co-founded by the owner of the Palais Stoclet. Klimt asked Beer to wear the jacket inside out and, in keeping with the many Asian influences in his work, painted a Korean battle scene in the background.

The portrait of Friederike Maria Beer is currently on display at the Tel Aviv Musuem of Art, having been donated to the museum by the Mizne-Blumental Collection. This joint estate of over 60 masterpieces, including works by Kandinsky, Picasso, and Dali amongst others was the early 20th century art collection of a Ukranian musician and Polish painter who began avidly collecting art after the end of the second world war . At the time of loan to the Museum, the Klimt painting was valued at over $100 million...in hindsight a very astute decision by the young Miss Beer!

The Belvedere Museum in Vienna celebrates '150 years of Gustav Klimt' from 12th July 2012 to 6th January 2013.

In less than 6 weeks, Great Britain will celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II during the long holiday weekend of 2-5th June. Throughout the sixty years of her reign, the second longest by a British monarch in the last thousand years, Her Majesty the Queen has become one of the most photographed women of modern times. With an extensive archive of images available, it is a unique opportunity to retrace some of her signature styles and jewellery.

A beautiful retrospective of images by royal photographer Sir Cecil Beaton recently took place at the Victoria & Albert Museum celebrating the Queen’s family life and formal state role as monarch. If you were unlucky to miss this, another highly anticipated exhibition starts May 17th at the National Portrait Gallery in London and will bring together a collection of sixty portraits made of the Queen during the last sixty years.

The contrast between the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II at her Coronation in 1953 and the equally iconic, everyday image above of the Queen today could not be more striking.

Embroidered with emblems of the British Commonwealth dominions in pale colored silk, with silver and gold threads and pearls, amethyst and opals, the coronation dress was commissioned for the state occasion by designer Norman Hartnell. The Queen is also wearing the Imperial State Crown, with the weight of its precious large stones and perhaps the nation’s legacy and duties. Garrard and Company originally designed the crown for George VI and altered it to fit the new Queen. The Queen wore the coronation necklace and earrings made for Queen Victoria and which was previously worn by four Queens at their own coronations. This necklace is made of 25 graduated cushion-shaped brilliant-cut diamonds with a drop shaped pendant and will be a centrepiece of a dazzling exhibition Diamonds: A Jubilee Celebration this summer at Buckingham Palace.

Almost daily images of the Queen during the last sixty years have shown an unceasing dedication to her work and throughout her signature style has been elegant and confident. Bright block colour skirts and dresses in pale yellow or cheerful pink, for example, are often matched with a  jacket or coat, closed with a button, and finished with coordinated accessories.

A number of fashion designers have designed clothes for the Queen during her reign, including most recently Karl Ludwig Rehse, Stewart Parvin and Angela Kelly but her jewellery has been much more familiar. Signature strands of white pearls and white pearl earrings, which are likely to hold emotional value to her, grace both formal state occasions and royal visits and have been a constant amongst the spectacular royal collection of jewellery.

The Queen has several favourite white pearl necklaces. The Queen Anne and Queen Caroline pearl necklaces are two single strand necklaces made with large, graduated natural pearls. These historic necklaces are typically worn together and were given to Princess Elizabeth by her parents for her wedding in 1947.

The Queen is also often seen wearing a smaller triple strand pearl necklace, given as a gift in 1935 from King George V, her grandfather, for his Silver Jubilee. With smaller graduated pearls, this necklace is highly versatile and should be very comfortable to wear. The three strands of lustrous pearls reflect light, creating a flattering glow to the face. To complete the styling, the Queen often can be seen matching this necklace with a pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings.

This year's Jubilee is another milestone in the Queen's reign that, despite decades of change in the world, has outlasted many political leaders, trends and celebrities. This June will be an opportunity to celebrate a lifetime's dedication and service. Long live our Queen of Pearls!

If you enjoyed the recent nostalgia of The Artist, the catwalk fashions for Spring/Summer 2012 look to continue the revival of the Roaring Twenties, with drop waist dresses, crisp whites, relaxed pastels and glamorous drapes of pearls.

The 1920s were prosperous years between two world wars that saw a wave of social, cultural and technology developments. Art Deco styling led the design world with clean geometrical lines and contrasting colours of black, white and gold, inspired by the Ancient Egyptians and the Aztecs. In New York, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building are still two of the most emblematic buildings of their time. Technology breakthroughs such as radio, cinema ‘talkies’ and the automobile brought a new and popular sense of freedom.

In the fashion world, young women cast aside decades of Victorian fashion and restraining corsets to express their independent and modern aspirations. Detail that was influenced by Art Deco, with zigzags and geometrical shapes, was also however about comfort. Knee-length skirts, drop waist dresses, low necklines with exposed arms and wrists by iconic designers such as Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli were characteristic of the time. Feathers, tassels and silk added a fluid and deliberately flirtatious appearance.

Cultured pearls were the gem of the decade. Long white pearl necklaces were wrapped and often layered around the neck, enhancing the low necklines. These chic pearl sautoirs would swing with movement and dancing. Earrings and drop earrings sat visibly below bobbed haircuts and pearl bracelets decorated bare arms and wrists.

Nearly a century on, the iconic Roaring Twenties that was depicted by F. Scott Fitgerald in The Great Gatsby is still inspiring designers today. In sharp contrast to today's mood of austerity, the Spring/Summer 2012 collections of Ralph Lauren and Gucci reference this seductive era of glamour with fluid lines, slim silhouettes, cloche hats, silk, feathers, drop earrings and of course swinging long white pearl rope necklaces.

With a Gatsby film adaptation also due later this year, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s the 1920s again. There may not be the same rebellious energy of the flapper driving automobiles, listening to American jazz and attending glamorous parties but we love its look and confidence.

Each year on February 14th, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by lovers offering each other letters, cards, flowers and a Valentine Gift as a symbol of their affection. Where did this longstanding tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day come from and how has it changed over the years?

Valentine’s Day has its origins rooted in Roman and Christian history, but we do not really know its true meaning or history. Perhaps the most enchanting story is that of Saint Valentine, who whilst held in confinement, fell in love with a young lady that legend says was his jailor’s daughter. Before he died, it is said that Saint Valentine wrote her a farewell note of love that he signed ‘From Your Valentine”.

During the Middle Ages, lovers mostly spoke or sung their feelings. The oldest written Valentine’s love letter today is held at the British Library and dates to 1415. It was ‘A Farewell to Love’ written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife as he was held captive in the Tower of London. His wife Bonne of Armagnac tragically passed away before his release from his twenty-four years of imprisonment.

Written greetings became popular in the 18th century and spread further afield in the 19th century as postage services became cheaper. Initially these greetings were handwritten notes and letters that promised love and affection. With improved printing techniques, printed cards and postcards also became available and later even telegrams were exchanged. The British Postal Museum has an online exhibition of items from their collection that relate to Valentine’s Day. A beautiful folded letter called a Rebus, dating from 1790, slowly reveals its romantic verses and small illustrations as the letter is unfolded.

Throughout its history, Valentine’s Day has continued to grow in popularity, with yet another turn in modern times. With the development of the internet, the traditional love letter has been giving way to email and online e-cards. The most romantic amongst us may lament this drift away from the personal meaning of a handwritten note. But who wouldn't also appreciate a carefully chosen Valentine Gift?

One of the classic gemstone combinations for jewellery designers is the contrast between the striking sparkle of diamonds and the soft, silky lustre of a pearl. How and when did our love of this beautiful pairing come about?

La Belle Époque from the late 19th century to the start of World War I was an era of opulence. It was a prosperous period that created wealth and the newly rich were keen to display their social status, enjoying a wave of sumptuous fashion and luxury jewellery.

 

The Edwardian trend was for slimming and elegant silhouettes with high collars that extended the neckline, corsets that showed off S-curved bodylines and tall hats with extravagant feathers. In response jewellers created delicate garland-style jewellery that appeared as if it were embroidery, with characteristic motifs of swags, ribbons, bows and flowers.

 

Before the late 19th century, European jewellers had looked to India and Brazil for their source of diamonds. Following the discovery of large diamond deposits in South Africa, however, and the set up and purchase of small mining operations by the company De Beers, the availability of diamonds changed forever. Platinum and diamonds began to be used widely by La Belle Époque jewellery designers to create intricate and gorgeous diamond necklaces with sparkling collars.

 

The grandeur of La Belle Époque ended abruptly with the dark reality of World War I.

 

Diamonds resisted the sombre times by reinventing themselves with new designs and sharing the fashion spotlight with other gems such as cultured pearls, which were new and taking the European jewellery markets by storm. Royal and society ladies matched diamond bandeaux and tiaras with long pearl necklaces. Coco Chanel created the Little Black Dress in the 1920s that she accessorised with a string of pearls. The simplicity of that dress with the elegance and beauty of pearls appealed to middle class and high society women alike throughout the 1930s and still resonates today.

 

With our lasting love of diamonds, De Beers famously grew to become the world’s largest producer of diamonds and coined the memorable slogan “diamonds are forever”. A diamond today is the traditional choice of engagement gift, a celebration present for a 10th or 60th wedding anniversary and is the birthstone for April.

 

View our jewellery collection of Diamonds and Pearls here.